San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Cardinals’ Trey McBride reset the market for top tight ends, but will George Kittle cash in from the 49ers as a result?
The San Francisco 49ers’ No. 1 priority this offseason is painfully obvious: extend quarterback Brock Purdy.
It won’t be cheap. The Niners’ top brass has already admitted how many of its offseason departures were aimed at saving cash to pay the quarterback, and in light of San Francisco’s lackluster free-agent onboards, it’s an understandable conclusion.
However, the financial ramifications of Purdy’s pending deal extend far beyond this offseason’s free-agent class.
They impact others still on the roster, namely tight end George Kittle.
What is George Kittle’s current contract?
Kittle, a mainstay of the 49ers roster since his rookie 2017 season, received a five-year extension back in 2020 that was worth up to $75 million, $30 million of which was guaranteed, per Over the Cap.
In the years since, the Niners have restructured Kittle’s deal by adding void years onto it. Those extend through 2028, thereby spreading out the cap hit over multiple seasons.
That said, Kittle is currently ticketed for free agency once the league new year begins in 2026. And despite both parties saying they want to remain with each other for the long haul, there’s a lot yet to be determined regarding whether or not the former Iowa Hawkeye ultimately retires in the Bay Area.
Predicting George Kittle’s next contract with 49ers
Kittle and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce once owned the top-two contracts for tight ends in the league.
However, both have now been surpassed by the Arizona Cardinals’ Trey McBride, who just inked a four-year, $76 million extension with the up-and-coming weapon.
Now, at least in terms of annual average, the top-five tight ends are as follows:
- Trey McBride (Cardinals): $19 million per year
- Travis Kelce (Chiefs): $17.125 million per year
- T.J. Hockenson (Vikings): $16.5 million per year
- George Kittle (49ers): $15 million per year
- Dallas Goedert (Eagles): $14.25 million per year
Kittle, a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, can make the case he’s due for a bigger payday than the younger McBride, especially after registering his fourth 1,000-yard campaign and climbing to No. 3 all time on San Francisco’s receiving leaderboard list, trailing only Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens.
Plus, the once-worrisome injury reputation that seemed to follow Kittle over the years has mostly evaporated. Over the last four seasons, he’s missed no more than three games, a testament to his endurance despite how physical he plays on the field.
That said, he’ll also turn 32 years old this season.
Sure, Kelce will turn 36 years old this season and was playing at an elite level four years prior, subsequently cashing in on big contracts. But, would the 49ers want to make an exception with Kittle that seemingly goes against their newfound cost-cutting measures?
Perhaps. But, what would that look like?
According to OTC, Kittle’s valuation in 2025 was $12.132 million, which seems cheap and doesn’t take into account just how valuable he is to the franchise, both in terms of leadership and to the fanbase.
Spotrac valued Kittle a little more than OTC, predicting his next contract would be worth $16.3 million, annually
Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, speculated Kittle would net something north of Kelce’s $17-plus million annual average.
But PFF’s prediction was before McBride’s extension, pointing to the very real possibility of Kittle commanding even more, perhaps closer to $20 million per.
Of course, the one hang-up remaining is Purdy’s own extension, which needs to be finalized before the future Hall of Fame tight end winds up cashing in on his next deal.
Judging by the predictions and comparisons, while also looking at McBride’s recent cash-in, it’s hard to envision Kittle settling for anything less than a shade over $19 million in what could ultimately be the last major payout of his storybook career.
